Junction shell

ABSTRACT

An electrical connector junction shell comprising a housing having an opening therein through which a cable extends. A first clamp engages the cable inside the housing. A second clamp is provided for clamping the cable outside of the housing in a position at a right angle to the axis of the opening. Thus, the cable may extend either straight or at a right angle with respect to an electrical connector mounted in the shell. The clamps may be self-locking cable ties.

Q United States wtent 91 [111 3,794,960 Sugar Feb. 26, 1974 [54] JUNCTONSHELL FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 1 Inventor? Joseph Sugar, L08Angeles, Calif- 98,380 4/1964 Denmark 339/103 M Assignee: InternationalTelephone and 1,347,500 1 H1963 France 339/103 R Telegraph CorporationNew York 52,654 6/1933 Norway 339/103 R NY.

Primary Examiner-A1fred R. Guest Filedi 1972 Attorney, Agent, orFirm-Thomas L. Peterson [21] Appl. No.: 310,924

[57] ABSTRACT [52] Us CI 339/107 An electrical connector junction shellcomprising a [51] Ink-bl. figh 13/58 housing having an p g thereinthrough which a [58] Field M 104 cable extends. A first clamp engagesthe cable inside 339/l05 the housing. A second clamp is provided forclamping the cable outside of the housing in a position at a right [56]References Cited angle to the axis of the opening. Thus, the cable mayextend either straight or at a right angle with respect UNITED STATESPATENTS to an electrical connector mounted in the shell. The 3,720,906Punak et a1. R clamps may be elf locking cable ties 1,961,013 5/1934Saraceno 339/107 X 0 3,032,740 5/1962 Von Hoorn 339/103 R 4 Claims, 10Drawing Figures JUNCTION SHELL BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. FIELD OFTHE INVENTION The present invention relates generally to an electri calconnector junction shell and, more particularly, to such a shell whichallows a cable extending therefrom to be clamped in two positionsangularly displaced from one another. 7

2. DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART Present electrical connector junctionshells allow the cables which are mounted therein to be held in only oneposition with respect to the electrical connectors mounted in theshells. Typically, the cable extends either straight from the connectoror at a right angle with respect thereto. As a compromise, some shellsare designed so that the cable extends at a 45 angle with respect to theconnector. Since the prior art shells permit the cables to extend inonly a single direction from the shells, it has been necessary toprovide different shells depending upon the particular direction inwhich it is desired to have the cables extend. Thus, what is desired andconstitutes the principal object of the present invention is a noveljunction shell which allows the cable therein to be held in more thanone position, preferably straight and at right angles with respect tothe electrical connector mounted in the shell.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the principal aspect of thepresent invention, there is provided an electrical connector junctionshell comprising a housing having an opening therein through which acable is adapted to be extended. First clamping means is provided whichis engageable with the cable inside the housing for clamping the cablethereto. A second clamping means is provided for clamping the cableoutside the housing, if desired, in a position at an angle to the axisof the opening in the housing. Preferably, such angle is 90 with respectto such axis. Thus, the cable may be extended either in a straightdirection or at a right angle with respect to the electrical connectormounted in the shell. Hence, a single junction shell may be employed forproviding either straight or right angle cable connections to theconnector.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. I is a perspective view of oneembodiment of the junction shell of the present invention with the cableextending straight therefrom and the outside clamp removed;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view similar to FIG. 1 showing the outside clampholding the cable at a right angle;

FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken along line 3-3 of FIG. I, withan electrical connector shown in phantom in the shell;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken through theoutside clamp illustrated in FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a modified form of the outside clamp ofthe present invention;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 4 showing the clampillustrated in FIG. 5 holding the cable in a right angle position;

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring now to FIGS. 1-4, indetail, wherein like reference characters designate like parts throughthe various views, there is illustrated one form of the junction shellof the present invention, generally designated 10. The shell 10comprises a vertically split housing 12 providing two half sections 14and 16. Preferably, the sections 14 and 16 are injected molded plasticparts. A pair of alignment pins 18 are formed on the inside face of thehousing section 14 for engagement in suitable apertures, not shown,formed in the inside face of section 16. Screws 20 extend through a pairof openings 22 in the housing. A nut 24 is threaded upon each screw tosecure the two sections of the housing together.

A vertically extending opening 26 extends through the upper wall 28 ofthe housing 12. An electrical cable 30 extends through this opening andthe conductors 32 thereof are connected to contacts 34 extending fromthe upper surface of an electrical connector 36, shown in phantom,positioned in the bottom of the shell.

Flanges 38 are formed at opposite ends of the lower portion of thehousing 12. Vertically extending passages 40 are formed in the flangeswhich receives screws 42 which serve to mount the shell to the connector36.

An inside clamp, generally designated 42, is provided in the shell 10for holding the cable 30 against the wall of the opening 26. This clampcomprises a clamp bar 44 which is slidably mounted in a horizontallyextending passage 46 which opens at the wall of the vertical opening 26.A square nut 48 is mounted in a suitable square cavity formed in thehusing l2 behind the passage 46. A set screw 50 is positioned in apassage 52 behind the nut 48 and concentric with the passage 46.Threading of the set screw 50 into the nut 52 shifts the 3 to bring theend 54 of the clamp bar into firm engagement with cable 30 so that thecable is tightly clamped between the bar 44 and the wall of the opening26. As seen in FIGS. 1 and 3, with the cable clamped by means of theinside clamp 42 only, the cable extends vertically from the upper wall28 of the shell 10. Thus, as described so far, the invention provideswhat is termed in the art as a straight junction shell.

According to the invention, the shell is designed so that thecable maybe held at a right angle, as illustrated in FIG. 2, to provide a rightangle junction shell. To this end, a concave elongated channel 56 isformed in the upper wall 28 of the housing 12. The surface of thischannel extends at a generally right angle to the axis of the opening 26which receives the cable 30. A relatively smooth convex surface 58 joinsthe bottom of the channel 56 to the wall of the opening 26 to avoid anysharp edges which might damage the cable 30. The

clamp bar 44 in a rightward direction as seen in FIG.

other end of the channel 56 extends to the edge 60 of the housing wall.Preferably, the junction of the channel 56 and the edge 60 is curved asindicated at 62.

A passage 64 extends through the housing 12 at a position spaced fromthe opening 26 and generally normal to such opening and to the channel56. After the cable 30 is bent at a right angle to lie in the channel 56as seen in FIG. 2, a self-locking cable tie 66 is extended through thepassage 64 and wrapped around the cable to hold the same in such rightangle position. The cable tie 66 is of a type well known in the art andcomprises a flexible plastic strip 68 which terminates at one end in ahead 70. A passage 72 extend through the head 70 and an integralresilient finger 74 extends into the passage. This finger engages teeth76 which are formed on one surface of the strip 68. The teeth 76 andfinger 74 are designed so that strip 68 may be pulled through theopening 72 in the head 70 of the cable tie in one direction to close theloop of the tie but prevent withdrawal of the strip in the oppositedirection. Preferably, a square recess 80 is formed in the outside ofthe housing section 16 adjacent the opening 82 of the passage 64 forreceiving the head 70 of the cable tie so that the outer surface of thehead is flush with the outer surface of the housing section 16. A groove84 is formed in the outside wall of housing section 16 and extends fromthe cavity 80 to the upper surface of the upper wall 28 of the housing.A vertically extending groove 86 is also formed in the outside wall ofthe housing section 14 and extends from the passage 64 to the uppersurface of the upper wall 28 of the housing. The strip 68 of the cabletie lies in these grooves. Thus, the resilient strip 68 of the cable tiemay be firmly seated and retained in the housing 12 to securely clampthe cable 30 at a right angle with respect to the axis of the opening 26in the housing.

It is preferred that when outside clamp 66 is employed, the inside clamp42 is also used as a strain relief clamp for the cable.

FIGS. and 6 illustrate a modified form of the outside clamp of theinvention. In this embodiment the outside clamp, generally designated90, comprises a pair of generally U-shaped metallic elements 92. Theupper legs 93 of these elements are somewhat bowed and formed withvertical flanges 94 at their ends. Vertically extending tabs 98 areprovided on the lower legs 100 of the elements 92. A recess 102 in thehousing 12 opens at the upper surface of the passage 64 in the housingthereby providing a pair of vertical shoulders 104. The height of thepassage 64 is sufficiently great to allow the lower legs 100 of theclamp elements 92 to be inserted into the passage. When the legs 100 areinserted in the passage, they are raised so that the tabs 98 engage theshoulders 104. A screw 105 passing through openings in the flanges 94 ofthe clamp elements 92 is threadably engaged into a nut 106 to pull thetwo sections 92 of the clamp together and thus exert a downward pressureupon the cable 30 thereby clamping the cable to the housing in a rightangle position.

FIGS. 7 and 8 illustrate still further embodiment of the outside clampof the invention. In this embodiment, the clamp, generally designated110, comprises an inverted U-shaped spring element formed with inwardlyextending tangs 112 on the legs 114 thereof. These tangs engage suitablerecesses 116 formed in the outers surfaces of the housing sections 14and 16 when the spring clamp element 110 is forced over the upper wallof the housing 28. The clamp 110 holds the cable 30 in the channel 56.

FIGS. 9 and show a modified form of an inside clamp which may beutilized in the junction shell of the invention. In this embodiment, thehousing section 14 of the shell is formed with a pair of horizontallyextending passages 120 positioned on opposite sides of the openings 26.A self-locking cable tie 122, similar to the element 66, is extendedthrough the passages 120 and around the cable 30 to hold it in fixedposition within the housing as seen in FIG. 9. A recess 124 is formed inthe housing section 16 to receive the head 126 of the cable tie.

Although I have herein shown and described my invention in what I haveconceived to be the most practical and preferred embodiments, it isrecognized that departures may be made therefrom within the scope of myinvention which is not to be limited to the details disclosed herein butis to be accorded the full scope of the claims so as to embrace any andall equivalent structures and devices.

What is claimed is:

1. An electrical connector junction shell comprising:

a vertically split hollow housing comprised of a pair of half sections,said housing defining an electrical connector receiving recess openingat the bottom thereof;

means for releasably securing said housing half sections together;

a vertically extending opening in said housing extending from saidrecess to the upper wall of said housing, said opening being adapted toreceive a cable therethrough having conductors therein for con nectionto said connector, said opening being defined by complementary recessesformed in the op posed surfaces of said housing half sections;

first clamping means engageable with the cable inside said housing forclamping the cable to said housing;

said housing upper wall being formed with a concave channel extendingfrom said opening to the edge of said wall, said channel being adaptedto receive said cable when bent at a right angle with respect to saidopening axis, a relatively smooth convex surface joining said openingand said channel, said channel being defined by complementary groovesformed in the opposed upper surfaces of said housing half sections; and

second clamping means for clamping said cable in said channel when bentat said right angle, said second clamping means extending transverselyover said channel and being releasably attached to said housing.

2.A junction shell as set forth in claim 1 wherein at least one of saidclamping means comprises:

a self-locking cable tie.

3. A junction shell as set forth in claim 1 wherein:

a passage extends through said housing spaced from said opening andgenerally normal to said opening axis; and

said second clamping means extends into said passage.

4. A junction shell as set forth in claim 3 wherein:

said second clamping means comprises a self-locking cable tie having ahead at one end provided with a passage which receives the other endthereof. 1

1. An electrical connector junction shell comprising: a vertically splithollow housing comprised of a pair of half sections, said housingdefining an electrical connector receiving recess opening at the bottomthereof; means for releasably securing said housing half sectionstogether; a vertically extending opening in said housing extending fromsaid recess to the upper wall of said housing, said opening beingadapted to receive a cable therethrough having conductors therein forconnection to said connector, said opening being defined bycomplementary recesses formed in the opposed surfaces of said housinghalf sections; first clamping means engageable with the cable insidesaid housing for clamping the cable to said housing; said housing upperwall being formed with a concave channel extending from said opening tothe edge of said wall, said channel being adapted to receive said cablewhen bent at a right angle with respect to said opening axis, arelatively smooth convex surface joining said opening and said channel,said channel being defined by complementary grooves formed in theopposed upper surfaces of said housing half sections; and secondclamping means for clamping said cable in said channel when bent at saidright angle, said second clamping means extending transversely over saidchannel and being releasably attached to said housing.
 2. A junctionshell as set forth in claim 1 wherein at least one of said clampingmeans comprises: a self-locking cable tie.
 3. A junction shell as setforth in claim 1 wherein: a passage extends through said housing spacedfrom said opening and generally normal to said opening axis; and saidsecond clamping means extends into said passage.
 4. A junction shell asset forth in claim 3 wherein: said second clamping means comprises aself-locking cable tie having a head at one end provided with a passagewhich receives the other end thereof.